Ether injection assembly for internal combustion engine



A. .J- LITTLE Dec. 17, 1968 EITHER INJECTION ASSEMBLY FOR INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Nov. 3, 1966 a a N x Z i v\\ 4 a l IP P \\x\\ 6a a 7 a r H 3 h i 5 a 3 J T +1 V vlL 1 4 fl/ J L A P United StatesPatent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The following specification describesa housing having a pivotable bail for detachably carrying a valved ethercan. The can valve is operated on energization of a coil in the housingfor releasing ether as an engine starting aid.

A cup-shaped can in the housing seals a passageway in the housingthrough which the coil armature passes to actuate the valve forpreventing contact between the electrical circuit and the ether.

This invention relates in general to internal combustion engine startingaids and more particularly to apparatus for remote control of an etheraerosol can to aid in starting an engine.

A common practice for aid in starting vehicle engines, especially truckengines in cold weather, is to apply a jet of ether to the enginecarburetor, since ether provides a rapidly volatized easily combustiblevapor. The ether is furnished under pressure in a so-called aerosol can.A valve at one end of the can is manually operated and the ether isdirected to the carburetor air opening, which normally connects to theair cleaner. The manual operation of the can and the necessity fordismantling the air cleaner to provide access to the carburetor openingeach gives rise to disadvantages while any free vapor presents either afire or explosion hazard.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide forremote control of an ether aerosol can for aid in starting a vehicleengine.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus forpreventing ether passing from an electrically operated aerosol can to anengine carburetor from coming into contact with undesired electricaldischarges.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide improved apparatusenabling replacement of an ether aerosol can for remote operation andimproved apparatus for the remote control of an ether filled aerosol canfor use in engine starting.

Still other objects and features of this invention will become apparenton examination of the following specification, claims and drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a relevant portion of a truckand engine having an ether aerosol can remote control assembly utilizingthe principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the ether aerosol can assemblyshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of theupper portion of the assembly shown inFIG. 2; i

FIG. 4 is a top elevational view of the assembly shown in FIG. 2; and vFIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating the manner in which thesolenoid for operating the ether aerosol can is energized.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a portion of a truck is illustrated generallyby the reference character 10. The truck comprises the usual motor orengine 12 having a carburetor 14 which supplies a combustible gas airmixture through an intake manifold 16 to the motor 12. Filtered air issupplied to the carburetor through an air cleaner "ice 18 having accessto a conventional opening in the carburetor directly below the filter. Afirewall 2%) is provided between the motor 12 and a cab in which thedriver sits behind a windshield 22. The firewall 20 carries a remotecontrolled ether aerosol can assembly 24.

As seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the ether aerosol can assembly 24 comprisesan annular aluminum housing 26 having a pair of spaced apertured ears 28projecting in opposite directions to enable the assembly to be securelymounted on the firewall. A top cap 30 of electrically insulatingmaterial is seated in an upper edge recess of housing 26 and theh-ousingedge is crirnped over to secure and seal the cap edge. The cap in turncarries a pair of staked terminals 32 and 39.

Terminal 32 serves to extend an electrical connection from the vehiclebattery through a switch 36 indicated in FIG. 5 and a conductor 34 to acoil 38 of a solenoid in housing 26. Terminal 39 serves to extend aground connection fro-m coil 38 over a conductor 40 to the metal portionof the vehicle, which serves as the battery ground.

The coil 38 includes a conventional bobbin having a central passagewayin which an armature 42 is located. A plunger 44 is secured to one endof the armature and extends through a pole piece 45. Also disposed inthe central opening of the bobbin is a cup-shaped can 46 having a closedupper end 48 with armature 42 and a portion of plunger 44 disposed forreciprocable movement in the cup-shaped can 46. A peripheral flange 50is provided at the lower open end of can 46.

The peripheral flange 50 rests on a ring gasket 52 which in turn issupported on a pole piece 45. The can, gasket and pole piece in turn aresecured by means of self-tapping screws 53 to an internal platform wall54 formed in housing 26 to thereby ensure against the communication ofany vapors in can 46 with any apparatus in housing 26 carryingelectrical current from the vehicle battery. A seal 55 recessed in thetop surface of wall 54 is also provided between the pole piece 45 andwall 54 to prevent communication of any fluid between the pole piece andwall 54 into the coil chamber.

The magnetic circuit for coil 38 includes an annular split member 56 anda second pole piece member 58 at the end of coil. Both pole pieces 45and 58 are notched with the notches registering with the split in member56 and receiving an internal ridge 60 on housing 26 to ensure properlocation of the coil 38. Can 46 is of thin brass stock to minimizeinterference with the magnetic circuit and extends through pole piece58. The extending closed end of can 46 is surrounded by an annularrubber pressure pad 60, which is clamped between the cap 30 and polepiece 58 for holding the coil against axial movement and absorbingvibration.

Wall 54 is generally thick and has a central passageway 62 registeringwith passageway in plate 45 for receiving plunger 44. A laterallyextending passageway 64 is formed in the wall 54 and communicates at oneend with passageway 62. The other end of passageway 64 receives aconventional conduit connector 66 for transmitting ether vapor by meansof a conduit 68 to the aforementioned carburetor opening.

Passageway 62 extends completely through wall 54 and is provided with ashoulder 70 against which one end of a coil spring 72 rests. The otherend of the spring 72 is seated against a shoulder 74 on plunger 44 andserves to bias the shoulder 74 against plate 45 secured to wall 54 whilearmature 48 is biased towards the closed end of can 46.

Passageway 62 also communicates at its lower end with a centralpassageway in an annular gasket 76. Gasket 76 is seated in an internalannular recess formed in a skirt portion 78 of housing 26 and the edgeof the recess is rolled over to secure the gasket in position. Thegasket 76 is provided with a depending annular shoulder 80 for receivingthe neck of a conventional ether aerosol can 82 with the valve operatingrod 84 of the can extending into the central opening 62 without engagingplunger 44 but where it may be depressed or operated by plunger 44. Thegasket restricts the seeping of ether out of passageway 62.

The can 82 is held in position by means of a swingable U-shaped bail 86whose arms have open ended hooks 88 formed on the ends thereof. Thehooks 88 are snap fitted on respective shouldered pins 90 integrallyformed on housing 26 for pivotally supporting the bail on housing 26.The bottom or back leg of the bail is provided with a stud member 92 onwhich knurled nut 94 is threaded. The nut 94 carries a cap member 96which encircles the bottom of the can 82 to secure the can 82 inposition when nut 94 is threaded upwardly on stud 92.

To mount an ether aerosol can 82 in the assembly 24 the bail 86 issimply swung to one side and the neck and valve operating portion of thecan 82 inserted inside the internal periphery of shoulder 80 of thegasket 76 with the rod 84 entering opening 62. The back leg of the bail86 is swung under the can to align cap member 96 with the can and thenut 94 threaded to snug the cap member 96 against the can 82 and the canagainst the gasket 76. The can is therefore held snugly with the gasket80 serving to dampen vibrations. To prevent excessive and undesiredcompression of the gasket 76, skirt 78 is proportioned to act as a stopand engage the can 82 before the can fully compresses gasket 76 orbefore the rod 84 can engage plunger 44 and possibly open the can valve.

When it is desired to start the engine 12 on a cold morning, the driverin the cab simply closes switch 36 to energize coil 33 over lead 34. Thearmature 42 and plunger 44 move down against the valve operating rod 84against the bias of spring 72 and the bias of the spring on the valveoperating rod 84. This allows the ether under pressure to escape the canand enter the central opening 62 from which the vapor passes throughconduit 68 to the carburetor, where its presence aids the driver instarting the engine. The can 46 ensures that no ether can penetrate thecoil chamber and thereby come in contact with the electrical apparatus.

It will be appreciated that, if desired, switch 36 may be placed inseries with the starter switch on the ignition as indicated by thebroken line in FIG. 5, to synchronize the ether injection with actualcranking of the engine and after the engine is started release of thestarter switch prevents the further injection of ether.

The foregoing constitutes a description of apparatus for remote controlof an ether aerosol can to aid in engine starting, with the inventiveconcepts of said apparatus believed set forth in the accompanyingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly for use in starting an internal combustion engine havingmeans for comunicating a combustible fluid to said engine, theimprovement comprising a housing, a coil in said housing, means forextending an electrical circuit to said coil whereby said coil isenergized from a position remote therefrom, an armature encircled bysaid coil and operated in one direction on energization of said coil,means for detachably supporting an aerosol can containing a combustiblefluid on said housing for control by said armature to release saidcombustible fluid from said can for transport to said engine throughsaid communicating means, one Wall integrally formed intermediate theends of said housing with said coil and armature disposed on one side ofsaid wall and said can disposed on the opposite side of said wall, afirst passageway in said wall extending axially of said coil, means onsaid armature extending through said first passageway and operated insaid one direction on energization of said coil for releasing saidcombustible fluid from said can whereby said fluid may enter said firstpassageway, a passageway in said wall extending radially of said coiland communicating fluid in said first passageway to said communicatingmeans for aid in starting said engine, a spring engaged against said onewall for biasing said armature in the direction opposite said onedirection, and a cup-shaped metallic nonmagnetic member having anannular wall coaxial with said coil for encircling said armature and animperforate back wall spaced from said one side and serving as a stopfor movement of said biased armature in said opposite direction, a polepiece for said coil sealingly engaged with said one side of saidintegrally formed wall, and a flange integrally formed on the end ofsaid nonmagnetic member annular wall opposite said back wall for sealingengagement with said pole piece to prevent gas in said passagewayscontacting said coil.

2. An assembly for use in starting an internal combustion engine of atruck having means for communicating to said engine a combustible fluidejected from an aerosol can on operation of a fluid releasing member atone end of said can, the improvement comprising a housing, a coillocated in said housing and having a central passageway, means forextending an electrical circuit through said housing to said coil from aremote position whereby said coil is energized, an armature located insaid coil passageway and including a plunger, means for biasing saidplunger and armature in one direction for operation in the oppositedirection on energization of said coil, means on said housing fordetachably supporting an aerosol can on said housing in a positionwherein said releasing member is operated by said operated plunger toeject a combustible fluid from said can, passage means for confiningsaid released fluid for transport to said engine through saidcommunicating means, a wall integrally formed on said housing forseparating said coil from said can and having a passageway through whichsaid plunger extends, and a cup-shaped can of metallic nonmagneticmaterial having an annular wall disposed in said coil central passagewayand having an i-mperforate back wall serving as a stop for movement ofsaid armature in one direction with said annular wall encircling saidarmature and a flange integrally formed at the end of said annular wallopposite said back wall for sealing engagement with one side of saidintegrally formed wall to seal said coil from engagement by saidreleased fluid in said integral wall passageway.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,463,712 7/1923 Mead 1231801,730,115 10/1929 Bristol 123180 2,402,964 7/1946 Hoflstrom 1231802,457,739 12/1948 Sherrill 123180 2,986,135 5/1961 Clark et al 1231803,189,014 6/1965 Kus 123187.5 3,190,277 6/1965 Tessier 123187.5

WENDEL E. BURNS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 123187.5

